Every business owner knows this. Papers pile up on desks, Excel spreadsheets get more and more complex, and employees spend hours transcribing data from one system to another. But when is the right moment to change? How do you know that investing in digital makes sense now?
Here are 5 key signals that make it clear that it’s time to start your company’s digital transformation.
1. Your employees spend more time on administration than on actual work
Do you notice that your best people spend most of their time on routine tasks? If your salespeople are filling out spreadsheets instead of dealing with customers, project managers are compiling reports instead of managing projects, and accountants are just retyping data instead of doing strategic financial planning, that’s the first serious sign.
Case in point:
Before going digital, a manufacturing process automation company spent an average of 15 hours a week just preparing reports and transcribing data between different systems. After the implementation of the unified system, this time was reduced to 2 hours per week. Employees regained 13 hours per week to work productively.
2. Excel is no longer enough to manage your processes
Excel is a great tool, but it has its limits. If you catch yourself thinking:
- You have dozens of linked spreadsheets
- You regularly find errors in them
- Only you understand how the formulas work
- You often have to update the data manually
It’s time to think about a professional solution.
3. You don't have a real-time overview of the current state of the company
How much time do you need to find out:
- Current status of orders?
- Staff utilization?
- Accurate financial indicators?
If the answer is “a few hours” or even “a few days,” you’re wasting valuable time for strategic decisions.
4. Duplications and errors are becoming a normal part of the work
When the same data exists in multiple places, errors are inevitable. Typical signs:
- Different versions of the same documents
- Inconsistent data between departments
- Regular “typos” in important documents
- Lost or misfiled documents
5. Customers complain of slow response
Nowadays, customers expect a fast and accurate response. If:
- It takes days to prepare a quote
- Customers are waiting for invoices or delivery notes
- You can’t answer questions about the status of an order quickly
It’s a clear signal that your processes need upgrading.
How to get started with digitisation?
If you have found situations in the text that you know intimately, it is time to act. However, going digital does not mean an instant revolution of all processes. We recommend you start:
1. By analysing your current state
- Identify the processes that are holding you back the most
- Measure how much time routine tasks take
- Prioritise change
2. Gradual implementation
- Start with one department or process
- Test the solution on a smaller scale
- Gradually expand to other areas
3. Engage employees
- Communicate the benefits of change
- Listen to feedback
- Support those who are concerned about change
Conclusion
Digitisation is not a question of “if” but of “when”. The longer you wait, the more opportunities you will miss and the more time your employees will spend on unproductive work. If you found situations in the article that apply to your company, it’s probably a good time to take action.
